Container closing device



June 5, 1956 w, E. ZIMMERMANN 2,749,003

CONTAINER CLOSING DEVICE Filed June 2, 1951 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 17 FE q-/ I147 T 15 160 Q 161 14 a4 1 I Z00 r 15.5 16 1 43 10 I 193 g a 23 l jg 3ea i 31 June 5, 1956 w, E. ZIMMERMANN 2,749,003

CONTAINER CLOSING DEVICE Filed June 2 1951 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 1451.4 r EZ/MMEe/m/v/v June 5, 1956 w. E. ZIMMERMANN 2,749,003

CONTAINER CLOSING DEVICE Filed June 2, 1951 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 CONTAINERCLOSING DEVICE Filed June 2, 1951 8 Sheets-Sheet, 5-

m [HZ EZ'IZZIF Marl? Z/M/VEEAM/W 12a 132 $3 Emu 142 June 5, 1956 W. E.ZIMMERMANN CONTAINER CLOSING DEVICE Filed June 2, 1951 8 Sheets-Sheet 8[Hz En is? IVLL y E Z/M/VEE/VA/VA/ Figs.

United States Patent C CONTAWER CLOSING DEVECE Willy E. Zimmermann,Chicago, Iii.

Application June 2, 1951, Serial No. 229,596

18 Claims. (Cl. 53-130) This invention relates to improvements incontainer capping devices and more particularly relates to such a deviceadapted to cap containers by relative movemen of the container withrespect to a capping head.

Heretofore, containers, and particularly containers such as milkbottles, have been capped by disk caps fitting in the mouth of thebottle or by protective caps crimped to the rim of the mouth of thebottle. Such containers have also been closed by disk caps covered byprotective caps.

The capping device for placing disk caps upon the bottles has usuallybeen associated with the bottle filler, and a conveyor or bottletransferring device usually transfers the bottles from the filler to thecapping de vice. Where a disk is applied to close a bottle and it isdesired to cover the disk with a protective cap, it has i been necessaryto provide a separate machine in addition to the disk capper, to applythe protective cap, together with an additional bottle transferringmeans or conveyor for transferring the bottles from the disk capper tothe protective capper. These capping machines are relatively expensiveand with their transfer devices or conveyors require considerable room,and where two capping machines are required to cap a bottle with bothdisk and protective cap, the expense of the capping operation is sogreat as to make it impractical for many dairies, particularly thesmaller ones, to effect this operation by machine.

A principal object of my present invention is to improve upon the art ofcapping by effecting the capping operation by a single capping head,which is capable of automatically applying both disk and protective capsto an individual bottle, or either disk or protective caps, as desired.

A further object of my invention is to provide a'novel and improved formof bottle capper arranged with a view toward applying both disk andprotective caps to bottles in a predetermined sequence by a singlecapping unit.

A further object of my invention is to provide a novel and improved formof capping device particularly adapted to cap milk bottles and soarranged as to apply either disk or protective caps to the bottles, asdesired, or to apply both disk and protective caps, and to indent theprotective caps down to the level of the top of the disk cap;

Another object of my invention is to provide a simpliin a container iscapped by relative movement of the "ice container with respect to acapping device and wherein the container is moved in a predeterminedsequence by a multiple peaked cam member, one peak of which effectsmovement of the container vertically to effect a disk capping operationand the other peak of which effects movement of the container verticallyto effect a protective capping operation.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a capping deviceoperable to close containers with both disk and protective caps byrelative movement of the container with respect to a capping head,including means for successively feeding disk and protective caps forapplying to the container, dependent upon the pres ence of a containerfor capping, and controlled by verti-. cal movement of the containerinto and out of position for capping.

Still another object of my invention is to provide at novel form ofcapping device, particularly adapted to cap bottles by relative movementof the bottles with respect to the capping head, including twomagazines, one for disk caps and the other for protective caps, togetherwith a double peaked cam for periodically raising the bottles for diskand protective capping, and feeding means for the caps operated byhorizontal travel of the capping head and bottle, for successivelyfeeding disk and protective caps into position to be applied to thebottle in a predetermined sequence.

These and other objects of my invention will appear from time to time asthe following specification proceeds, and with reference to theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of a capping deviceconstructed in accordance with my invention, with certain parts thereofbroken away and certain other parts shown in vertical section;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the capping device shown inFigure 1;

Figure 3 is a detail fragmentary vertical sectional view takensubstantially along the line IIIIII of Fig. 2;

Figure 4 is a detail fragmentary sectional view taken along line IV-IVof Fig. 2 and showing the capping device in an initial step in the diskcapping operation;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view somewhat similar toFig. 4 and showing the capping device in the operation of applying adisk cap to a milk bottle;

Figure 6 is a horizontal sectional view of the capping device takensubstantially along line VI-VI of Fig. 3 and showing certain details ofboth the protective and disk cap feeding means;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along lineVIIVII of Fig. 2;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary end view of the capping device showing certainother details of the disk cap feeding mechanism, not shown in Figure 7;

- Figure 9 is a fragmentary end view showing the control cam for thedisk and protective capping operations, in end elevation;

Figure 10 is a fragmentary sectional view of the control cam takensubstantially along line XX of Fig. 2;

- Figure 11 is a fragmentary plan view of the slide for feeding the diskcaps;

Figure 12 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially along lineXII-XII of Fig. 11;

Figure 13 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along lineXIIIXIII of Fig. 2 and showing the device in an initial phase of theoperation of applying a protective cap;

Figure 14 is a fragmentary view somewhat similar-to Fig. 13, showing thedevice at the end of the protective cap applying operation;

Figure 15 is an enlarged view in side elevation of the centering bellfor centering the bottles for the capping operations;

Figure 16 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along lineXVl-XVI of Figure 15; and

Figure 17 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken through amodified form of capping unit, for applying protective caps only, withthe unit removed from its clamping jaws and easing.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in the drawings, aplurality of capping heads Iiiconstructed in accordance with myinvention are shown as being mounted on a support frame 11, adjustablymounted. on a column 12 to accommodate the device to the various heightsof bottles to be capped. As herein shown, an adjusting screw 13 isthreaded in said block and rotatably mounted in. an outboard support 14secured to the top of the column 12 and projecting therefrom. Theadjusting screw 13 is held from vertical movement with respect to thesupport 11 by spaced collars 15, 15 pinned to. said screw and extendingalong the top and bottom sides of the support 14. A set screw 16 may beprovided to lock the support frame 11 in the desired position. A handcrank 17 is shown as being mounted on the upper end of the adjustingscrew 13 for rotating said screw.

The column 12 is shown as being mounted in an upright hub 18 of arotatably driven plate 19, which may be journaled in a base 20. Saidbase may be the base of a bottle filler (not shown). The plate 19 may berotatably drivenat a predetermined speed of rotation by a motor andsuitable drive connections therefrom (not shown) contained within saidbase. The motor and drive are well known to those skilled in the art, soneed not be shown and described herein.

The bottle filler may be any well known form commonly used to fillbottles and more particularly milk bottles and is usually mounted on thesame frame or base as the capper, and provision is usually made fortransferring the filled milk bottles from the filler to verticallymovable bottle holders 21 rotatable with the base 19.

One bottle holder 21 is usually provided for each capping device, andthe bottle is supported thereon during both the disk cap and protectivecapping operations and is moved thereby to effect both of the cappingoperations by vertical movement of the bottle. As herein shown, thebottle, holder 21 has a depending hollow leg 23 slidably guided on anupright pin 24, secured to and extending upwardly from the rotatableplate 19. A earn 25 is provided to raise and lower the bottle holder 21and the bottle thereon during the capping operation. As herein shown,the cam 25 is of semi-circular form, in horizontal section and has aplurality of lugs 27, 27 extending laterally therefrom, resting onsleeves 29, 29 mounted on the base and secured thereto as by machinescrews 30, 30, which may be. threaded in said base. The cam is thusstationary during rotative movement of the plate 19 and bottle holder21, and is provided with two spaced peaks 31 and 33, of differentheights, with. a valley therebetween.

A follower, inthe form of a roller 35, is herein shown as riding, on thecam 25 to raise and lower the bottle holder 21 upon relative movement ofsaid bottle holder with respect to said cam. The follower 35 isrotatably mounted on a pin 36 secured to and extending outwardly fromthe hollow leg 23. The follower 35, riding along the cam 25,, raises abottle holder 21 for the disk capping operation as said follower ridesover the peak 33 of lesser elevation. It then lowers the bottle holder21 for feeding of the protective caps and raises the bottle holder 21for the protective capping operation as said follower rides .over. thepeak 31 of greater elevation.

Each capping device includes generally an upper casing part 37 of agenerally bell-shaped form. Connecting ears 39, 39 extend. laterallyfrom said upper casing part and are spaced vertically with respect toeach other to extend along and engage the top and bottom. sides of thesupport frame 11. Said ears aresecured to said support 4 frame as bybolts 41, 41 extending through said ears and support frame. As hereinshown, the upper casing part 37 is mounted in a recessed portion 42 ofsaid support frame and the ears 39, 39 extend beyond said recessedportion in diametrically opposed relationship with respect to each otheralong the top and bottom sides of said sup port frame.

The upper casing part 37 is herein shown as having a flanged bottom,abutted by a frame portion 43 which projects laterally therefrom andforms a support frame for the disk and protective cap feeding apparatus.A lower casing part 44 abuts the bottom of said frame portion inalignment with said upper part and depends therefrom, and carries a diskcapper unit 45 and a protective capper unit 46 encircling said diskcapper unit. Machine screws 47, 47 are provided to secure said parts tosaid frame portion (see Fig. 3).

The disk capper unit 45 and the protective capper unit 46 are eachmounted on the lower end of a central shaft 53 slidably mounted in theupper portion of the upper casing part 37 and extending upwardly throughthe top thereof. The shaft 53 likewise extends along a chamber 51 formedin said upper and lower parts. Two diametrically opposed pins 54, 54 areshown as being threaded in the opposite side walls of the upper casingpart 37 and as having reduced inner end portions slidably engaging slots55, 55 extending along the central shaft 53 and holding said shaft andthe capper units 45 and 46 in the proper relation with respect to thechamber 51 and also limiting vertical movement of the shaft 53 and saidcapper units.

The protective capper unit 46 includes a sleeve 57 mounted on anddepending from the central shaft 53 and secured thereto as by a pin 59.The sleeve 57 encircles and is spaced from the disk capper unit 45,which is secured to a reduced lower end portion 61 of the central shaft53 as by a machine screw 63 threaded in said. reduced lower end portion.An aligning pin 64 sliding in a slot 65 is provided to align said diskcapper unit with the protective capper unit 46. The capper unit 45 has aflanged lower end portion 66 of substantially the diameter of the diskcap, for pressing the cap within the mouth of the bottle. The flange 66abuts a shouldered portion 67 of a stepped sleeve 68 slidably guided onthe shank of. the disk capper 45 and held in alignment therewith by apin 69, slidably engaging a slot 70 extending vertically along. saiddisk capper. A spring 71 encircles the disk capper 45 within the sleeve5'7 and urges the stepped sleeve against the flange 66.

The lower step of the stepped sleeve 68 depends from the flange 66 andhas an inwardly extending ridge 72 at its lower end, forming a capretainer for retaining the disk cap for applying by the diskcappermember 45. The lower end of the said stepped sleeve 68 also comes intoengagement with the top of the mouth of the bottle, to yieldably holdthe protective cap to the bottle during the initial protective cappingoperation, as shown in Figure 14. The stepped sleeve or cap retainer hasa horizontal slot 74 extending thercthrough, through which are fed diskcaps 75, retained within said stepped sleeve or retainer by the ridge72.

A relatively strong spring 76 encircles the shaft 53 wit-hinthe chamber51 and is interposed between the top of the sleeve 57 and the top wallof the chamber 51 to yieldably urge the shaft 53 and sleeve 57 into theposition shown in Figure 3. The spring 76 must be sufficiently strong tohold the shaft 53 and the sleeve 57 in position during the initialoperation of pressing a disk cap on a bottle and then must yield topermit vertical movement tending therefrom and spaced upwardly from thebottom thereof.

A sealing rubber or member 79 engages the lower end of said flange andissuitably secured thereto and depends therefrom. Y

The sealing rubber 79 may be of a well known form and is moved intoclamping engagement with a protective cap 80 by means of a plurality ofclamping jaws 81, 81. The clamping jaws 81, 81 are herein shown asengaging the top of the annular flange 78 and extending upwardly alongthe sleeve 57. The jaws 81, 81 each have an inwardly recessed lower endportion 82 engageable with the sealing ring 79. A coil spring 84encircles and is recessed within the clamping jaws 81, 81 at a pointspaced adjacent the upper ends thereof and yieldably retains said jawsto said sleeve.

The inner upper end portions of the clamping jaws 81, 81 are adapted toengage an inclined face of the casing portion 44, of an invertedfrusto-conical form and forming a cam, clamping the jaws 81, 81 againstthe sealing rubber 79- and clamping said rubber against the protectivecap 80 to crimp said protective cap to the mouth of the bottle, uponvertical movement of the bottle and clamping jaws with respect to thecasing portion 44, as may best be seen with reference to Figure 14.

It may be seen, with reference to Figures 1, l3 and 14, and assuming adisk cap is in place in the bottle and a protective cap is ready to beapplied, that as'the bottle holder moves the bottle upwardly through acentering bell 85, centering the bottle with respect to the protectivecapper 46, the bottle will first engage the bottom of the stepped sleeveand disk cap retainer 68, moving said sleeve upwardly against the spring71, until the disk capper unit 46 comes into engagement with the centerof the protective cap 80. Further vertical movement of the bottle willindent the protective cap within the bottle into engagement with thedisk cap and will then effect vertical. movement of the shaft 53 againstthe spring 76. At the same time, the protective cap will also be engagedwith the sealing rubber 79. Vertical movement of the central shaft 53against the compression spring 76 will move the engaging ends of theclamping jaws 81, 81 along the inverted frusto-conical surface of thelower casing portion 44. This will spread the upper ends of said jawsabout a beaded ring 86 within the centering bell 85 and recessed withinthe outer ends of said jaws, and contract, the lower ends of said jawsand press the sealing rubber 79 against the protective cap and crimpsaid cap to the mouth of the bottle.

The centering bell 85 includes a cylinder 87 encircling the clampingjaws 81, 81 and mounted thereon on the beaded ring 86. Said centeringbell has a converging downwardly opening mouth portion 88 secured to thebottom of the cylinder 87 and extending inwardly therefrom, and throughwhich the mouth of the bottle passes during vertical movement thereof.Said mouth portion engages the bottle neck as the bottle is movedupwardly by the bottle holder 21, to accurately center the bottle andmaintain it in centered relation with respect to the capper units 45 and46 at all times during the operation of applying the disk and protectivecaps.

As shown in Figures and 16, the beaded ring 86 has a plurality of pins89, 89 extending laterally from the wall thereof, which extend throughbayonet slots 90, 90 formed in the wall of the cylinder 87 and openingto the top thereof. Compression springs 91, 91 are mounted in verticallydrilled portions in the wall of the cylinder 87 and are seated at theirlower ends on the mouth portion of the bell. The upper ends of saidsprings are seated in cylindrical retainers 92, 92, slidably guidedwithin the drilled portions of the bell and intersecting the slots 90,90. Said retainers engage the pins 89, 89 to allow vertical movement ofsaid bell with respect to the beaded ring 86, and to enable thecentering bell to take care of various shapes of bottles, andparticularly bottles having sealing or protective ribs of a largerdiameter than the mouth of the bottle projecting therefrom and spacedbeneath the mouth thereof. With such bottles (notshown) the projectingrib engages flared mouth of the centering bell and the rib on the bottlewill yieldably move the centering bell upwardly against compressionsprings 91, 91.

The centering bell has a slot 148 extending along and through the wall87 thereof, through which the disk caps are fed. A circumferentiallyspaced slot 185 also extends along and through the wall 87 for theprotective caps (see Figures 6 and 15).

Referring now in particular to Figures 2, 4 and 6 through 12,illustrating the means for feeding the disk caps through the slot 148 inthe centering bell 85 and through the slot 74 of the stepped sleeve anddisk cap retainer 68, when a bottle is present to be capped, andpreventing the feeding of such caps when no bottle is present, saidfeeding mechanism is actuated by a stationary control cam 95 (Fig. 2).The control cam 95 may be mounted on the tiller base 20 for verticaladjustment with respect thereto, to take care of various sizes ofbottles, on two parallel spaced vertically extending rods 96, 96. Therods 96, 96 may be secured to and project upwardly from the filler base20. A threaded rod 99, operated by a hand crank 100, is rotatablymounted in a lug 101 projecting from the cam 95, and may have threadedengagement with a stationary member (not shown) to vary the elevation ofsaid cam in accordance with the elevation of the capping head 10.

The control cam 95 has a sloping, inwardly recessed cam undersurface102, sloping inwardly from the upper to the lower margin of said cam andterminating at the lower margin of said cam intermediate the endsthereof, as shown in Figs. 2, 9 and 10. The sloping cam surface 102 ofthe control cam is engaged by a rounded upper end portion of a triplever 103, as a capping device 10 moves along the cam 95 to actuate thefeeding mechanism by first depressing and then pivoting said trip leverinwardly to a horizontal position, as indicated by dotted lines inFigure 8. Said trip lever remains in this position, inoperative toactuate the feeding device, until it is pivoted to the verticallyextending position shown in Figures 7 and 8, by vertical movement of abottle, as will hereinafter more clearly appear as this specificationproceeds.

The trip lever 103 is moved to its upright operative position byvertical movement of the bottle and shaft 53 as the bottle holder 21moves upwardly along the peak 31 of the cam 25, by means of a trip rod104 depending from an outboard support bracket 105 projecting laterallyfrom the central shaft 53 and secured thereto forvertical movementtherewith. As herein shown, a nut 106 is threaded on the upper end ofthe central shaft 53 andfholds the bracket 105 and a washer 107 inengagement with a shouldered portion of said shaft.

The trip rod 104 has an inwardly turned lower end portion 109 whichunderlies the trip lever 103 when said trip lever is in horizontalposition. As a bottle is moved upwardly by the bottle holder 21 intoengagement with the sealing rubber 79 and protective capper unit 46, andvertically moves said sealing rubber and capper unit and the shaft 53,the inwardly turned end 109 of the trip rod 104 will engage and pivotthe trip lever 103 to the vertically extended position shown in Figure8.

The trip lever 103 is herein shown as being slidably mounted in a casingmember 111 and as being biased into an extended position with respect tosaid casing member, by a compression spring 112 (see Figure 7). Thespring 112 is interposed between a closure member 113 for the bottom ofsaid casing member and a collar 114, herein shown as being formedintegrally with said trip member, intermediate the ends thereof.

The casing member 111 is shown as having a boss 115 extending laterallytherefrom, which is rotatably mounted in an upright arm 116 which may beformed integrally with a bottom portion of the support frame 43. Amachine screw and washer 117 threaded in the outer end of 7 said bossserves to retain saidcasing member to said arm and permit movementthereof about the axis of said boss and screw.

The boss is herein shown as having two angularly disposed inclined facesand 121 in the space between said casing and the inner side of theupright arm 115. These faces are adapted to be engaged by a leaf spring123 secured at its lower end to the arm 116 and yi'eldably holding thetrip lever 103 in its upward or a horizontally extending position.

The lower end of the trip lever 103 is slidably guided in the bottom 113of the casing 111 and extends therebeneath for engagement with one arm124 of a bell crank 125. The bell crank 125 is pivoted intermediate itsends between spaced ears 126, 126 of the support frame 43 on 'apivot pin127. A depending arm 129 of the bell crank 125 extends within anupwardly opening slot 130 formed in a block 131. The block 131 isslidably guided in an elongated recessed guide formed in the lowerportion of the support frame 43 and is urged to an outermost positionwith respect to said recess by means of a spring 128 (see Figure 7). Theblock 131 is herein shown as having ratchet teeth 133 formed integrallywith an outer face thereof. The teeth 133 mesh with a pinion 134 formedintegrally with a shaft 135 journaled in the lower portion of thesupport frame 43. The shaft 135 is herein shown as depending from thepinion 134 and as having a lever arm 136 secured thereto and extendinginwardly therefrom beneath the bottom of the frame 43.

' The lever arm 136 is shown as being held to shaft 135 by means of amachine screw 137. If desired, a springurged ball (not shown) may form areleasable lock between the shaft 135 and arm 136, to rock said arm uponrocking movement of said shaft, but to allow said shaft to move withrespect to said lever arm in cases Where the feeding mechanism maybecome jammed. It is, of course, obvious that various drive connectionsmay be provided between said arm and shaft.

The lever arm 136 has a bifurcated free end, the space between thefurcations of which slidably engages a pin 141. The pin 141 extendsthrough and slidably engages a slot 143 extending along a slide 144 forthe disk caps, and is secured at its upper end to a feed plate 145slidably guided along the top of said slide.

As herein shown, the slide 144 and feed plate 145 are in alignment withthe slot 74 in the disk cap retainer 68 and are slidably guided ingibbed guides 146, 146 formed integrally with the support frame 43 andoverlying the edges of the feed plate 145. The advance end of the slide144 is shown as'being recessed to conform to the curvature of theenlarged'diameter portion of the sleeve or cap retainer 68. The advanceend of the feed plate 145 is similarly recessed.

When the disk cap feeding mechanism is in a retracted position the slide144 is positioned just beneath the bottom or discharge end of a disk capmagazine 147, detachably mounted on the support frame 43, and the topsurface of the slide 144 is in alignment with the bottom of the slot 74.The feed plate 145 is of substantially the thickness. of a cap, to takeone cap from the bottom of the magazine at a time, it being understoodthat the caps are fed from the magazine by gravity.

A plurality of spring-urged detents, including balls 150, are mounted inthe slie 144 in alignment with each other on opposite sides of the slot143 and in communication therewith. The balls 150, 150 are yieldablyurged into engagement with corresponding recessed portions of the pin141 by means of springs 151, 151, held in place by plugs 152, 152, whichmay be set screws, to effect movement of the slide 144 with the feedplate 145 upon pivotal movement of the arm 136.

During the operation of supplying a disk to the disk cap retainer 68,depression of the trip lever 103 by engagement with the recessedinclined cam surface 102 of thecontrol cam 95 will effect rockingmovement of the bell crank 1-25 and will rectilinearly move the rack 133against the spring 128. This will pivot the pinion 134 and shaft 135 androck the lever arm 136- about the axis of said. shaft and effectrectilinear movement of the slide 144' and feed plate 145 through theslot 148 in the wall of the centeringbell 85. During initial rockingmovement of the lever arm 136 the slide 144 and feed plate 145 will movetogether by virtue of the yieldable connection therebetween, effected bythe detent balls 150, 150. As the advance end of the slide 144 comesinto engagement with the enlarged portion of the stepped sleeve 68, thedetent balls 150, 150 will be disengaged from the pin 141 and the feedplate 145 will move rectilinearly of the slide 144 and feed a disk capthrough the slot 74 in the stepped sleeve 68- into engagement with therib 72, in position to be applied to a bottle by the disk capper unit 45in the manner hereinbefore described.

It should here be understood that when once a cap has been fed intoposition to be supported by the retaining rib 72, the trip lever 103will be in the horizontal position shown by broken lines in Figure 8.Feeding is attained prior to travel of the follower roller 35 up therise to the peak 33 of the cam 25, and as said follower rides up to saidpeak the bottle will be elevated through the mouth of the centering bell85 into engagement with the lower end of the stepped sleeve 68. As thebottle moves upwardly a further distance the bottom of the disk capperunit 45. will come into engagement with the disk cap and press said capwithin. the mouth of the bottle, as shown in Figure 5.

It should here be noted that during the operation of applying the diskcaps to the bottles, the spring 76 inhibits. vertical movement of theshaft 53 within the casing 37 until the cap has initially been applied,and. that the shaft 53 will then move a short distance against thespring 76, as determined by the peak of the cam 33, but not far enoughto trip the trip lever 103. It should also be understood that verticalmovement of the trip rod 104 to trip said trip lever is attained during,the protective capping operation when the follower 35 reaches the peak31 of the cam 25.

If nobottle is present to etfect elevation of the rod 104 as the bottlecarrier is elevated by the peak 31 of the cam 25, the trip lever 103will remain in its horizontal inoperative position and no disk cap willbe fed to be ap plied to the bottle. It should also be understood thatas soon as the trip lever 103 is released from the arm 124 of the bellcrank 125, the spring 128 will return the disk cap slide 144 and feedplate 145 into position to feed the next disk cap for application to thenext succeeding bottle.

The protective caps 80 are contained in a protective cap magazine 153detachably carried on the support frame 43 and projecting upwardlytherefrom, as best seen in Figures l, 2, l3 and 14. The protective caps80 are released from the magazine 153 one at a time by vacuum created bya vacuum pump 155, as the bottle is moved vertically by the rise to thepeak 31 of the cam 25.

Thevacuum pump 155, as shown in Figure 3, includes a. cylinder 156, theupper part of which is threaded within the support frame 43 and thelower part of which is shown as being formed integrally with said frame.The cyl inder- 156 is herein shown as having an upwardly extending boss15-9 forming a guide for a vertical pump shaft 160. The pump shaft 160extends through the outboard support bracket 105 and a boss 161projecting upwardly therefrom, and is vertically moved therewith uponvertical movement of the shaft 53 and the bracket 105 by means of aplurality of spring-urged detent balls 162, 162 mounted in the boss 161and engaging an annular recessed groove 1.63 in said pump shaft. Apiston 167, herein shown as being formed from a leather disk of a formcommonly used in air pumps, is mounted on the pump shaft 160intermediate its ends within the cylinder 156. As herein shown, thepiston 167 is retained against a stepped portion of the shaft 160 bymeans of'a nut 169 threaded on said shaft and engaging the bottom ofsaid piston. A spring 170 is interposed between the top of th cylinder156 and the top of the piston 167. I

A port 171 leading to the atmosphere is provided in the wall of thecylinder 156, adjacent but above the lower end thereof and the top ofthe piston 167 when said piston is in a lowermost position with respectto said cylinder. The purpose of said port is to break the vacuum insaid cylinder when the piston 167 has moved below said port.

The pump shaft 160 is cross-drilled above the piston 167, as indicatedby reference character 172. Said pump shaft is also longitudinallydrilled from its lower end to said cross-drill, as indicated byreference character 173. The bottom of said longitudinal drill hole maybe plugged and a cross-drill 174 is shown as intersecting saidlongitudinal drill hole adjacent the bottom thereof. The lower end ofthe shaft 160 is shown as being tapered and an arm 175 is shown as beingsecured thereto as by a nut 176 (see Figures 3, 13 and 14). The arm 175extends from the shaft 160 toward the magazine 153. Said arm islongitudinally drilled in communication with the cross-drill 174 and hasa vacuum cup 177 mounted on its outer end beneath the protective capmagazine and the caps therein. The vacuum cup 177 has a centralpassageway 179 communicating with cross passageways 180, 180 opening tothe top thereof, and closed by engagement with the inside of aprotective cap, as shown in Figure 14.

As the bottle holder 21 and bottle thereon is moved upwardly along therise to the peak 31 of the cam 25, to effect the protective cappingoperation, the bottle coming into engagement with the sealing rubber 79of the protective capper unit 46 will vertically move the shaft 53, ashas previously been described, moving the bracket 105 and pump shaft 160therewith. This will move the piston 167 along the cylinder 156 toeffect the compression stroke of the pump. At the same time, the vacuumcup 177 will be moved upwardly by the shaft 160 into engagement with alowermost protective cap in the protective cap magazine 153 and willslightly lift all of the caps in said magazine, as shown in Figure 14.As the roller 35 moves downwardly along the far side of the slope fromthe peak 31, upon completion of the protective capping operation, thespring 76 will return the shaft 53 and the disk capper 45 and protectivecapper 46 to the positions shown in Figure 3. At the same time, the arm105 and detent balls 162, 162 and spring 170 will move the piston 167downwardly along the cylinder 156. This will create a suction on thelowermost protectivecap 75 and withdraw said cap from the magazine 153,it being understood that the vacuum cup 177 moves downwardly with thepiston 167 and pump shaft 160. When the piston 167 passes beneath theport 171, the'vacuum in the cylinder 156 will be broken, to release aprotective cap 80 from said vacuum cup and deposit the protective cap ona support 183, at the entering end of an arcuate guide 184 leading tothe cap receiving slot 185 in the Wall of the centering bell 85. Aprotective cap 80 will then be in a position to be fed in an arcuatepath over the mouth 88 of the centering bell 85 in direct alignment withthe sealing rubber 79 and the mouth of the bottle to be capped.

Feeding of the cap 80 from the support 183 along the arcuate guide 184into centered relation with respect to the centering bell 85 is effectedby means of a pivoted feeding lever 186, herein shown as being mountedcoaxially with the pump shaft 160. The feeding lever 186 has a generallyhorizontal arm positioned just above the top of the support surface 183and movable along said surface and guide 184 into the slot 185 formed inthe centering bell 85. Said lever also has an upright portion 187depending from a collar 188 mounted on the lower end of a sleeve 189rotatably mounted within the support frame 43 for movement about thepump shaft 160. The top of the sleeve 189 is flanged and abuts thebottom of the cylinder 156 to hold said sleeve in position on the shaft160. The sleeve 189 has teeth 190 formed integrally therewith, for aportion of the circumference thereof, which teeth mesh and are drivenfrom a rack 191 guided in a rectilinear guide 192 formed on the supportframe 43. I

The rack 191 has a plunger 193 slidably guided therein, having afollower roller 194 mounted on its outer end for rotation about avertical axis. The follower roller 194 is spaced beneath the engagingend of the trip lever 103 and on the retreating side of said lever andcomes into engagement with a vertical engaging face 195 of the cam 95.The face 195 is shown as being disposed beneath the recessed face 102and inwardly and in advance thereof, as may clearly be seen withreference to Figures 2 and 9. The follower roller 194 thus comes intoengagement with the cam face 195 after the disk cap has been applied andas follower 35 and bottle holder 21 and the bottle thereon ride alongthe valley between the downward slope of the peak 33 and the upwardslope or rise to the peak 31. I

The plunger 193 is shown as being slidable within a rectilinear guide195a formed in the rack 191. A compression spring 196, shown as beingseated within said rack and guide, abuts the inner end of the plunger193 to bias said plunger in the outwardly extended position shown inFigure 6. A pin 197 is shown as extending horizontally through theplunger 193. The ends of said pin project beyond opposite sides of theplunger 193 and are slidably guided in slotted portions 198, 198 of therack 191. The pin 197 serves to limit movement of said plunger withrespect to said rack.

A compression spring 199 is seated within the inner end of the rack 191and abuts an end wall of a guide 192 for said rack, and urges said rackin the outwardly extended position shown in Figure 6, and also returnssaid rack and the feed lever 186 at the end of the protective capfeeding operation.

A means is provided to lock rack 191 from feeding movement and thusprevent operation of the feed lever 186 and the feeding of a protectivecap when a bottle is not present to be capped. Said locking means isoperated by vertical movement of the bottle and shaft 53 during the diskcap applying operation as the follower 35 and bottle holder 21 andbottle thereon ride over the peak 33 of the cam 25. Said locking meansincludes a cap check or locking pin 200 mounted on and depending fromthe outboard support bracket 105 and vertically movable therewith as theshaft 53 and bracket are vertically moved by the bottle during the diskcapping operation.

The locking pin 200 is herein shown as being slidably mounted in asleeve 204 extending through and secured to the outboard support bracket105, as by nuts 205 threaded thereon and abutting opposite sides of saidbracket (see Figure 3). A spring 209 within the sleeve 204 urges the pin200 in its lowermost position with respect to said sleeve and yields incases where the lower end of the pin 200 may come into engagement withthe top surface of the rack 191.

The locking pin 200 is slidably guided in an upright guide 211, hereinshown as being formed integrally with the support frame 43 and extendingvertically along an outer side wall of the cylinder 156. When the shaft53 and bracket 105 are in a lowered position with respect to the casing37, the locking pin 200 will register with an apertured portion of anear 213 extending laterally from the rack 191 and slidably guided in alateral extension of the guide 192, as may clearly be seen withreference to Figures 3 and 6.

When the locking pin 200 is in engagement with the apertured portion ofthe ear 213, as when no bottle is present on the bottle holder 21 to becapped, the rack 191 will be locked frommovement to actuate the feed V 11 lever 186. The follower 194 and plunger 193 may, however, moveinwardly with respect to the rack 191 against the spring 196 uponengagement of said follower 194 with the engaging face 195 of thecontrol cam 95.

During the capping operation, when a bottle is present on the carrier 21and the capping device is rotatably moving with the plate 19, as theroller rides to the top of the peak 33 of the cam 25, and during theapplication of the disk cap thereto, the bottle will vertically move theshaft 53 and bracket 105 against the spring 76 a distance suflicient torelease the locking pin 200 from the apertured portion of the car 213 ofthe rack 191. As the capping head 10 rotates a further distance, thefollower 194 will come into engagement with the vertical engaging face195 of the control cam 95. This will depress the plunger 193 and rack191 along the rectilinear guide 192 and pivotally move the pinion teeth190, sleeve 189 and feed lever 186 to feed a protective cap 80 on thesupport 183 along the arcuate guide 184 and through the slot 185 intocentered relation with respect to the centering bell 85, into positionto be crimped over the mouth of the bottle by the sealing rubber 79 andclamping jaws 81, 81 actuated by vertical movement of the clamping jawsalong the inverted frusto-conical surface of the lower casing member 44,in the manner hereinbefore described.

If, however, a bottle is not present on the bottle holder 21, thelocking pin 200 will remain in locking engagement with the rack 191, andas follower 194 engages the vertical engaging face 195 of the cam 95,the plunger 193 will move inwardly with respect to the rack 191 againstthe compression spring 196. Thus, when no bottles are present on thebottle carrier 21, the caps will remain in the magazine 153 so as not toaccumulate and clog the centering bell 85 1 In Figure 17 I have shown amodified form of capping unit which may be used where it is desired toapply a protective cap only, and it is not desired to recess theprotective cap within the mouth of the bottle. In this form of myinvention the disk capper unit is removed from the lower end of theshaft 53 and replaced by a sleeve 215 having a flanged lower endportion. Said sleeve may be secured to the lower end of the shaft 53 bya machine screw 216 extending through said sleeve from the bottomthereof and recessed within said sleeve in abutting engagementtherewith. A capping sleeve 219 having a flanged lower end portion 220is slidably mounted on the sleeve 215 for movement within the sleeve 57.The inner periphery of the sleeve 219 is shouldered and the shoulderedportion thereof engages the top face of the flanged portion of thesleeve 215. A compression spring 221 encircles the sleeve 215 within thesleeve 57 and is interposed between a downwardly facing shoulderedportion of the sleeve 57 and the top of the sleeve 219. The flangedlower end portion 220 of the sleeve 219 is of sufiicient diameter toengage the. top of the protective cap with the top of the bottle mouth.

Where it is desired to apply a protective cap only with the form ofcapper unit just described, the. disk cap magazine may be removed. Asthe bottle is elevated by the rise to the peak 33 of the cam 25, thebottle will first engage the flanged lower end portion 220 of the sleeve219 and move said sleeve against the spring 221 until the bottle comesinto engagement with the sealing rubber 79. At this time, furthervertical movement of the bottle will release the cap check pin 200, toallow the feed lever 186 to feed a protective cap into centered relationwith respect to centering bell 85 as the follower 35 rides along thevalley between the peaks 33 and 31 of the cam 25. As the bottle rides upthe slope of the cam 25 to the second peak 31, it will come intoengagement with the underside of a protective cap 80 and move said capvertically into engagement with the under surface of the flanged portion220 of the sleeve 219. Further vertical movement of the bottle willengage the protective cap with the sealing rubber 79 and move the sleeve57 and shaft 53 vertically to apply the cap by vertical movement of theclamping jaws along the inverted conical face of the casing member 44,to positively crimp the cap to the mouth of the bottle by inwardmovement of the lower ends of said clamping jaws engaging the sealingrubber with the cap and mouth of the bottle in the manner previouslydescribed.

Also, if it should be desired to apply disk caps only, the protectivecap magazine may be removed from the support frame 43 and the disk capsmay be applied in the manner previously described, as the follower 35reaches the peak 33 of the cam 25.

It may be seen from the foregoing that the capping head of my inventionmay efliciently apply closure caps to bottles, and particularly milkbottles, either in the form of single disk caps or protective seal caps,or both, as desired, and that when applying the disk and protective capsthe protective cap is recessed within the mouth of the bottle down tothe disk cap.

It may further be seen that the capping head of my invention includesseparate feeding means for the disk and the protective caps, arranged tofirst feed a disk cap and then, after the disk cap has been applied, tofeed a protective cap, and that the protective and disk cap feedingmechanisms are interlocked in accordance with movement of the bottle sothat no cap will be supplied to the capper unit unless a bottle ispresent to be capped.

It will further be seen that the capping and feeding operation isoperated and controlled solely by relative movement of the bottles withrespect to the capping device.

It may still further be seen that vertical movement of the bottle iseffected by a double-peaked cam, one of which peaks effects movement ofthe bottle vertically for the application of a disk cap thereto, and theother of which peaks moves the bottle vertically to cover the disk capwith a protective cap or to apply a protective cap only, when sodesired.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effectedwithout departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the presentinvention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a container capping device, a traveling capping head includingseparate disk and protective cap holding magazines, a disk capper unit,a protective capper unit coaxial with said disk capper unit, separatemeans associated with each capper unit and operated by travelingmovement of said capping head for alternately feeding disk caps andprotective caps in centered relation with respect to said disk andprotective capper unit, and means operated by traveling movement of saidcapping head for alternately elevating the container first intoengagement with a disk cap and then into engagement with a, protectivecap for successively applying disk and protective. caps thereto.

2. In a container capping device, a traveling capping head havingseparate disk and protective cap holding magazines, a disk capper unit,a protective capper unit encircling said disk capper unit, and coaxialtherewith, separate cam operated means associated with said disk andprotective capper units and operated by traveling movement of saidcapping head alternately feeding disk and protective caps from saidmagazine into centered relation with respect to said disk and protectivecapper units, a double-peaked cam operative to first elevate thecontainer into engagement with said disk capper unit and then elevatethe container into engagement with said protective capper unit byrelative movement of said capping head with respect thereto foralternately applying disk and protective caps thereto.

3. In a bottle capping device, the combination with a rotatable framehaving separate disk and protective cap holding magazines thereon, adisk capper unit on said frame, a protective capper unit on said framecoaxial with 13 said disk capper unit, a bottle carrier beneath saidcapper unit and rotatably movable with said frame, cam means operativeto elevate said bottle carrier and the bottle thereon into engagementwith said disk and protective capper units for successively applyingdisk and protective caps thereto upon relative movement between saidcarrier and cam means, and cam operated means controlled by verticalmovement of the bottle and operated by horizontal travel of the bottlefor alternately feeding disk and protective caps to said capper units.

4. In a bottle capping device, the combination with a rotatable basehaving a frame carried thereby in vertically spaced relation withrespect thereto and having separate disk and protective cap holdingmagazines thereon, a disk capper unit on said frame, a protective capperunit on said frame coaxial with said disk capper unit, a bottle holdercarrier on said base beneath and in alignment with said disk andprotective capper units and adapted to carry a bottle thereon in axialalignment with said capper units, a double cam, an operative connectionbetween said cam and said bottle carrier effecting vertical movement ofsaid carrier and the bottle thereon into successive engagement with saiddisk and protective capper units upon relative movement between saidbase and cam, and a cam operated means controlled by vertical movementof the bottle and operated by horizontal movement of said base and camfor alternately feeding disk and protective caps to said disk andprotective capper units when a bottle is placed on said bottle carrierto be capped.

5. In a bottle capping device, a rotatably movable base, a verticallymovable bottle carrier mounted thereon for rotatable movement therewith,can means engaging said bottle carrier and vertically moving said bottlecarrier and the bottle thereon to effect the capping operations, acapping head mounted on said base above said bottle carrier in directalignment therewith, said capping head including a disk cap magazine, aprotective cap magazine, coaxial disk and protective capper units,separate feeding means alternately feeding disk and protective caps fromsaid magazines to said capper units, means controlled by verticalmovement of the bottle controlling operation of said feeding means, andother means operated by rotatable movement of said base for sequentiallyoperating said feeding means.

6. In a bottle capping device, a rotatable base, a bottle .carriermounted thereon for movement therewith and for vertical movement withrespect thereto, a stationary cam engaging said bottle carrier andeffecting vertical movement thereof during certain cycles of the cappingoperation, a capping head rotatably mounted on said frame above saidbottle carrier in direct alignment with said carrier, said capping headincluding a casing, a bottle centering bell depending therefrom, a diskcapper unit yieldably mounted on said casing in centered relation withrespect to said centering bell, a protective capper unit encircling saiddisk capper unit and centered with respect to said centering bell, meansalternately feeding disk and protective caps to said disk and protectivecapper units, and control means for said feeding means controlled byvertical movement of the bottle and preventing feeding of a disk orprotective cap when a bottle is not present to receive the cap.

7. In a bottle capping device, a rotary base, a bottle carrier mountedthereon for movement therewith and for vertical movement with respectthereto, a stationary cam vertically moving said bottle carrier and thebottle thereon during certain cycles of the capping operation, a cappinghead mounted on said frame above said bottle carrier for rotationtherewith, and having a bottle centering bell thereon, a disk capperunit mounted for vertical movement with respect to said head andapplying a disk cap by direct engagement of the bottle therewith, aprotective capper unit encircling said disk capper unit and mounted forvertical yieldable movement with respect to said head and applying thecap by engagement of the bottle therewith and vertical movement of thebottle and unit with respect to said capping head, cam operated meansoperative to alternately feed disk cap and protective caps to saidcapper units, and control means for said cam operated means, operated byvertical movement of the bottle and rendering said feeding meansinoperative to feed a cap when a bottle is not present on said bottlecarrier to be capped.

8. A capping device comprising a rotatably movable frame, a bottlecarrier mounted thereon for movement therewith and for vertical movementwith respect thereto, a stationary cam, an operative connection betweensaid cam and the bottle carrier vertically moving said bottle carrierupon rotation thereof, a capping head on said frame and including diskand protective capper units coaxially mounted on said capper head forvertical movement with respect thereto during the capping operation, adisk cap magazine on said frame, a protective cap magazine on saidcasing, a control cam having two cam surfaces, separate follower meanscngaging each of said surfaces, feeding means actuated by said followermeans, for successively feeding disk and protective caps to said capperunit, means locking said feeding means from operation at the completionof each feeding operation, means connecting said locking means with saidcapper units to release said locking means by vertical movement of thebottle and capper units with respect to said casing effective byrelative movement of said bottle carrier with respect to said first cam.

9. A capping device comprising a rotatably movable frame, a bottlecarrier mounted thereon for movement therewith and for vertical movementwith respect thereto, a stationary cam having two spaced peaks, anoperative connection between said bottle carrier and cam moving saidbottle carrier vertically in two cycles to effect two stages of thecapping operation, a capping head on said frame and including an innerdisk capper unit and an outer protective capper unit, said units beingsequentially engaged by the bottle to effect the capping operation andbeing vertically moved thereby during capping, a disk cap magazine onsaid frame, a protective cap magazine on said casing, a control camhaving two cam surfaces, a separate follower member engaging each ofsaid cam surfaces for successively feeding disk and protective caps tosaid capper unit, separate disk and protective cap feeding meansactuated by said follower members, means operative at the completion ofeach feeding operation to render said feeding means inoperative to feeda cap, and means operated by vertical movement of the bottle and saidcapper units as the bottle is elevated at each peak of said cam forsequentially rendering said follower means operative to effect thefeeding operation when a bottle is present on said bottle carrier to becapped.

10. A capping device comprising a capper head having a shaft guided forvertical movement with respect thereto, spring means urging said shaftin a lowermost position with respect to said head, and disk andprotective capper units coaxially mounted on said shaft and dependingtherefrom and including a disk capper member secured to and dependingfrom said shaft and having a relatively flat head facing the ground andof a diameter substantially equal to the inside diameter of the mouth ofthe bottle, a cap retaining sleeve encircling said disk capper anddepending therefrom and having a slot formed therein for insertion ofthe disk caps, and having retaining means at the lower end thereof forretaining the disk caps for application to the bottle, a protectivecapper sleeve secured to said shaft and encircling said disk cappermember and having a sealing rubber thereon engageable with the mouth ofthe bottle, clamping jaws engageable with said sealing rubber, cam meansdisposed above said jaws and moving said jaws in a direction to crimp acap to the bottle upon upward movement of said protective capper sleeve,a centering bell yieldably supported on said jaws and dependingtherefrom for centering the bottle with respect to said disk andprotective capper units, and means moving the bottle vertically in twostages, first into engagement with said disk capper unit to effect diskcapping operation and second intoengagement with said protective capperunit to effect the protective capping operation.

11. A capping device comprising a capper head having a shaft guided forvertical movement with respect thereto, spring means urging said shaftin a lowermost position with respect to said head, and disk andprotective capper units coaxially mounted on said shaft and dependingtherefrom and including a disk capper member secured to and dependingfrom said shaft and having a relatively fiat head facing the ground andof a diameter substantially equal to the inside diameter of the mouth ofthe bottle, a cap retaining sleeve encircling said disk capper anddepending therefrom and having a slot formed therein for insertion ofthe disk caps, and having retaining means at the lower end thereof forretaining the disk caps for application to the bottle, a protectivecapper sleeve secured to said shaft and encircling said disk cappermember and having a sealing rubber thereon engageable with the mouth ofthe bottle, clamping jaws engageable with said sealing rubber, cam meansdisposed above said jaws and moving said jaws in a direction to crimp acap to the bottle upon upward movement of said protective capper sleeve,a centering bell yieldable supported on said jaws and dependingtherefrom for centering the bottle with respect to said disk andprotective capper units, and means moving the bottle vertically in twostages, first into engagement with said disk capper unit to effect diskcapping'operation and second into engagement with said protective capperunit to effect the protective capping operation, said centering bellbeing yieldably mounted on said clamping jaws for yieldable verticalmovement with respect thereto, by vertical movement of a bottle therein.

12. A capping device comprising a capper head having a shaft guided forvertical movement with respect thereto,

spring means urging said shaft in a lowermost position with respect tosaid head, and disk and protective capper units coaxially mounted onsaid shaft and depending therefrom and including a disk capper membersecured to and depending from said shaft and having a relatively flathead facing the ground and of a diameter substantially equal to theinside diameter of the mouth of the bottle, a cap retaining sleeveencircling said disk capper and depending therefrom and having a slotformed therein for insertion of the disk caps, and having retainingmeans at the lower end thereof for retaining the disk caps forapplication to the bottle, a protective capper sleeve secured to saidshaft and encircling said disk capper member and having a sealing rubberthereon engageable with the mouth of the bottle, clamping jawsengageable with said sealing rubber, cam means disposed above said jawsand moving said jaws in a direction to crimp a cap to the bottle uponupward movement of said protective capper sleeve, a centering bellyieldably supported on said jaws and depending therefrom for cen teringthe bottle with respect to said disk and protective capper units, andmeans moving the bottle vertically in two stages, first into engagementwith said disk capper unit to effect disk capping operation and secondinto engagement with said protective capper unit to effect theprotective capping operation, said centering bell being yieldablymounted on said clamping jaws for yieldable vertical movement withrespect thereto, by vertical movement of a bottle therein, saidcentering bell being slotted in the wall thereof, to sequentiallyreceive the disk and protective caps and having a guide leading to thecenter thereof, guiding the protective caps in centered relation withrespect to said protective capper unit.

13. A capping device comprising a capper head having a shaft guided forvertical movement with respect thereto, spring means urging said shaftin a lowermost position with respect to said head, and disk andprotective capper units coaxialy mounted on said shaft and dependingtherefrom and including a disk capper member secured to and dependingfrom said shaft and having a relatively flat head facing the ground andof a diameter substantially equal to the inside diameter of the mouth ofthe bottle, a cap retaining sleeve encircling said disk capper anddepending therefrom and having a slot formed therein for insertion ofthe disk caps, and having retaining means at the lower end thereof forretaining the disk caps for application to the bottle, a protectivecapper sleeve secured to said shaft and encircling said disk cappermember and having a sealing rubber thereon engageable with the mouth ofthe bottle, clamping jaws engageable with said sealing rubber, cam meansdisposed above said jaws and moving said jaws in a direction to crimp acap to the bottle upon upward movement of said protective capper sleeve,a centering bell yieldably supported on said jaws and dependingtherefrom for centering the bottle with respect to said disk andprotective capper units, individual disk and protective cap magazinesmounted on said head to one side of said capper units, and separatefeeding mechanisms associated with each of said magazines and controlledby vertical movement of the bottle with respect to said capper head andactuated by rotatable movement of said capper head, for sequen tialliyfeeding disk and protective caps into centered relation withrespect tosaid centering bell and said disk and protective capper units.

14. In a container capping device, a capping head having an inner diskcapper unit mounted thereon for yieldable movement with respect theretoin a vertical direction and an outer coaxial protective capper unitmounted thereon for yieldable movement with respect thereto, a capretaining sleeve encircling said disk capper unit and slidably guided insaid protective capper unit and having a slot therethrough for receivinga disk cap, retaining means within said sleeve for retaining the diskcaps in centered relation with respect to said disk capper unit, acentering bell yieldably mounted on said protective capper unit foryielding movement in a vertical direction and having a mouth opening incentered relation with respect to said disk and protective capper units,and also having a guide extending therealong for guiding a protectivecap in centered relation with respect to said protective capper unit,the wall thereof being slotted, for receiving disk and protective caps,and individual feeding means for said disk and protective capper unitsfor first feeding a disk cap through the slotted wall of saidcenteririg, bell into said disk cap retainer and then feeding aprotective cap through the slotted wall of said centering bell alongsaid guide into direct alignment with said protective capper unit.

15. In a container capping device, a capping head having an inner diskcapper unit mounted thereon for yieldable movement with respect theretoin a vertical direction and an outer coaxial protective capper unitmounted thereon for yieldable movement with repect thereto, a capretaining sleeve encircling said disk capper unit and slidably guided insaid protective capper unit and having a slot' therethrough forreceiving a disk cap, retaining means within said sleeve for retainingthe disk caps in centered relation with respect to said disk capperunit, a centering bell yieldably mounted on said protective capper unitfor yielding movement in a vertical direction and having a mouth openingin centered relation with respect to said disk and protective capperunits, and also having a guide extending therealong for guiding aprotective cap in centered relation with respect to said protectivecapper unit, the wall thereof being slotted, for receiving disk andprotective caps, and individual feeding means for first feeding a diskcap through the slotted wall of said centering bell into said disk capretainer and then feeding a protective cap through the slotted wall ofsaid centering bell along said guide into direct alignment with saidprotective capper unit, a double peaked cam sequentially raising thebottle into capping engagement with said disk and protective capperunits to effect the disk and protective capping operations, controlmeans for said feeding means sequentially operated by vertical movementof the bottle at the peaks of said can and a second cam for sequentiallyoperating said feeding means.

16. A container capping device comprising a single capping head forsequentially applying two different types of caps to a single container,a holder for the container, means for rotatably moving said capping headand holder, and other means operable by rotational movement of saidholder to sequentially move said holder vertically and engage acontainer thereon with said capping head and apply a different kind ofcap thereto during each sequence of vertical movement of said holder.

17. A container capping device comprising a single rotatable cappinghead having a downwardly opening centering bell, means operated byrotatable movement of said capping head for sequentially feeding diskand protective caps to said head, a container holder beneath saidcapping head in alignment with said centering bell, and other meanssequentially moving said container holder vertically and the containerthereon into registry with said centering bell and into engagement withsaid capping head to effect sequential capping thereof.

18. A container capping device comprising a base, a. capping headmounted on said base for rotatable movement with respect thereto, cammeans on said base for sequentially feeding disk and protective caps tosaid capping head by rotatable movement of said capping head withrespect to said base, a container holder mounted for rotatable movementwith said capping head and for vertical movement with respect thereto,and other cam means on said base engaging said container holder andvertically moving said holder with respect to said capping head tosequentially engage a container thereon therewith and effect cappingthereof with a disk cap during one sequence of vertical movement of saidholder and a protective cap during a second sequence of vertical movement of said holder.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS862,530 Zastrow Aug. 6, 1907 1,363,824 Tait Dec. 28, 1920 2,036,105Strout Mar. 31, 1936 2,089,769 Strout Aug. 10, 1937 2,190,509 Baum Feb.13, 1940 2,431,114 Golding Nov. 18, 1947 2,541,001 Vedder Feb. 6, 1951

